Weekly Update from the MN Waldorf School

Your Weekly Update

News from the Minnesota Waldorf School

June 2, 2010

Camping Week: Bon Voyage!

It's Camping Week and the hallways are going to seem a little quiet the next few days. Beginning in 3rd grade, students travel with their class on a camping trip to complement the year's curriculum. The 3rd grade studies practical arts, including farming, and puts their knowledge to use at Community Homestead doing farm chores-planting crops, weeding gardens, milking cows, pitching hay and more. The 4th grade has been studying Minnesota history and zoology and will spend camping week at Itasca State Park exploring the land of the voyageurs and observing its wildlife. The 6th grade will enhance their study of geography, geology and astronomy with a trip to Wolf Ridge and the 7th grade will travel to Taylor Falls to complete their year's work. All campers will return Friday.

The 5th and 8th grades are here at school this week, having just returned from the Pentathlon and class trip, respectively. In the younger grades, this is the week for field trips and both 1st and 2nd grades have some fun outings planned.

Thank you to all of our chaperones and drivers for helping to make these trips possible. We wish you all safe and happy travels!

The Minnesota Waldorf School
invites you

to celebrate the graduation of the

Class of 2010

Thursday, June 10th

at 7 pm

in the Festival Hall

A reception will follow.

Overflow Parking in Lower Field

Order Your 2009-10 Yearbook by June 2nd!

It's time to order your 2009-10 MWS yearbooks. The MWS yearbook includes artwork and layout by the 8th grade class, with much appreciated help from Sherri Mann and Vicki Dunlop. It also includes full color photographs of students, faculty, staff and school events such as festivals, class plays, sporting matches, etc.

Look for order forms in the front lobby and the Kindergarten Cottage main entrance. Due to the camping week schedule, you may email your order to Vicki Dunlop today at bvdunlop1@msn.com and drop a check in the order box the next time you are at school.

Yearbooks will be distributed to students by the class teachers during the last week of school. Look for more announcements in the Update.

Turn in Your 2010-11 Contracts

Contracts for the 2010-11 school year were due last week. If you have not yet returned yours, please do so as soon as possible as we have begun to enroll new students. Ms. Holt's 1st grade already has a waiting list so act now to reserve your child's space!

Kindergarten Assistants Sought for 2010-11

We are seeking qualified candidates to fill 2 or 3 Kindergarten Assistant positions in the 2010-11 school year. These part-time hourly positions are for the school year (not including breaks) plus the week before school begins and the week after school ends. A full description of the position is on our website. Applications can be downloaded from our web site and should be directed to Melinda Lopes with a copy of your resume and letter of interest. Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2010.

End of the Year Cards in Amy's Office

Stop in and Pen a Little Note

The Parent Council and class reps filled a basket with end of the year cards for all of the faculty and staff who dedicate their hearts and hands to MWS and our children. The basket is in Amy Stephens' office. At your leisure, please stop in and write some words of appreciation and gratitutde. These notes mean so much and are such a gift at the end of a busy school year.

If you would like to give a gift of money to your class teacher, you may leave it in his/her individual envelope. If you would like to give a monetary gift to subject teachers, coverage teachers or staff, you may place it in his or her envelope or into the collection box (which will be divided). We will safeguard the contents of the envelopes and box nightly. If you have any questions, please contact your class rep or Parent Council Chair, Ben Richards.

School Store: June 9th is the Last Day to Shop!

The school store will close for the 09-10 school year after school on Wednesday, June 9th in order for the volunteers to pack things up and complete their summer inventory. Stop in NOW to stock up on summer toys, Salty Dogs, sunscreen, bug spray and gifts for all those summer birthdays.

End of the Year Sale

25% off storewide!!! All items discounted! B.T. McElrath chocolates and Purple Prairie Bodycare Products are now buy one, get one 50% off. Thank you for your patronage this year. The store will reopen in the fall.

Take Home Medications this Week

If your child has medication at school please stop by Amy's office to pick it up. Non-emergency medicine may be picked up this week, while emergency meds should be picked up on the last day of school. Any medicine remaining after the last day of school will be discarded.

Don't forget to check the Lost & Found-- all that remains on June 10th will be donated to charity in order to tidy up for graduation and summer vacation.

In Our Community

Many of you may be aware that Dan Odegard, former administrative director of MWS, and father of Zoe Odegard (Graduate 2007), has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and renal failure. For an update on Dan's condition, you may visit his CaringBridge site at www.caringbridge.org and enter "danodegard." We send Dan our best wishes for strength and healing.

MWS Summertime Family Camping Trip

Mark your calendars now for the annual Waldorf Family Camping Trip. The dates are Father's Day weekend Fri., June 18th to Sun., June 20th. This is a wonderful MWS tradition- a family camp outing for MWS families and friends at beautiful Whitewater State Park. There is (ice-cold) swimming and hiking at a mosquito-free park (honest, it is!). Whitewater State Park is +2 1/2 hours from the Twin Cities just west of Wabasha. We reserve a primitive group campsite and camp all together in a circle of tents. It is a lot of fun and often our site is filled to capacity so make your plans soon. Hobo pies, s'mores, a hand-pump for water, campfire singing, star-gazing, tadpole-catching are some of our favorite parts of the trip. Carole Anderson coordinates this trip. Reserve your spot with or ask your questions of her at 651-430-1825.

Register for Camp

Age Extended to 9 Years!

MWS Day Camp

June 12 - September 3, 2009

For Children entering Grades K-4
Ages: 5 to 9 years old (and younger children who are currently enrolled in our Pre-K program)
8:30 am to 3:30 pm

$200 per week/1st child

$150 per week/per each additional

Daily Option: $40/day, $30/per each additional

Drop-In Option: $40/day

Join us for a summer of play and work, story and song, rest and movement as we experience and celebrate the bounty of the season! Please complete your registration forms ASAP!

Extended Daycare Available: $4-5/hour
Before Care: 8:00-8:30 am
After Care: 3:30-5:30 pm
$5/hour Drop-In
$4/hour if pre-registered

Laughing in a Waterfall-- Book Launch Party at MWS

Marianne Dietzel, parent of MWS alumni Nina (Mr. Hanlon, MWS '93), Kevin (Ms. Pierce, MWS '95) and Soren Dietzel (Mr. Weick, MWS '07), is holding a party to launch her book, Laughing in a Waterfall: A Mother's Memoir. All are welcome to attend on Sunday, July 18, 3-6 PM at the MWS. There will be a presentation is from 4-5 pm with refreshments and book-signing before and after.

Laughing in a Waterfall is a mother's story of her daughter's life and death and their continuing relationship. At age 5, Nina met her friend Kirsten at MWS. Thirteen years later, both girls were killed in a car accident. Nina's foundation for life was formed by the five years her family spent living in Camphill Village Minnesota, a rural intentional community including adults with development disabilities, and by her education using the Waldorf approach. In letters exchanged with her friends, and in excerpts from her journal, Nina's own words reveal her rich inner life and become a source of wonder for her parents.

After the accident in New York State, where Nina and Kirsten were attending a Waldorf high school, the support of the community in holding a home vigil for the girls gave Marianne courage to face her unfathomable loss. Back in Minnesota, with a teenager and young child still at home, and a dying mother 500 miles away, Marianne's own spiritual resources came to her aid in transcending her grief.

This poignant memoir offers insights into how to create a new culture around the sacred threshold of death and keep a living connection to those on the other side.

For more information, please see www.mariannedietzel.com.

In Sympathy

We extend our deepest sympathy and send our love to the Henderson-Meany family (Nyassa, Gr. 8 & Sienna, 2009 Graduate) after the passing of Ann Meany's brother John.

Alumni News

Do you have news to share about a Minnesota Waldorf School alum? We always love to hear about our graduates.

Contact: Liz Lacey-Gotz

Community News

Philadelphia Community Farm's St. John's Festival: Sunday, June 27, 3pm - 7pm. St. John's Tide is a time to share in the blessings of nature and community. The St. John's Festival, like many seasonal festivals, combines pre-Christian traditions and Christian inspiration. It celebrates the birth of John the Baptist, "A burning and shining light." The festival occurs around the time of the summer solstice when nature reaches its fullest growth and the sun is at its greatest strength. Rudolf Steiner states: "We will embody the right St John's mood if the event is experienced with clear, bright, full consciousness".

All Waldorf families are invited to join in the St. John's festivities at Philadelphia Community Farm. This is a free event-not a fundraiser. We will have a potluck meal, the "Three Farmers" play, a wild foods walk, a bonfire, and more. So please join us this year as we jump over the St. John's bonfire into a brighter consciousness: one that embraces brotherly and sisterly love and gratitude for all the gifts of life.

The address of the farm is 599 280^th St, Osceola, WI 54020

Please call or email Deborah Dornemann with questions

715-294-1689 or riseandshinelearning@yahoo.com

Summer at Novalis Institute: Our core faculty teacher, Linda Bergh is once again offering a week-long June Biography class. This class continues to be the foundation for inner development and a transforming process for all who participate. This week from June 21-25th is a condensed offering to facilitate more participation. Join us! Please note that childcare options may be available for this class. Please use the contact email or phone below if this is a need for you.

Novalis' Solstice/St. John's Festival: Along with the Twin Cities Branch of the Anthroposophical Society, Novalis is co-sponsoring a free community evening in celebration of the Solstice and St. John's Day on Monday, June 21st. There will be music, games, shortcake, a biodynamic gardening stirring, a finger-food potluck and an evening fire. Bring an appetizer and your families - all are welcome! You will find more details on our website Classes page under "Other Community Opportunities."

Please also look for details in the flyers on your school's bulletin board!

You may find all of our classes and registration information on our home page at http://novalisinstitute.org/. Questions? Call 651.489.2060 or email info@novalisinstitute.org.